In this musical retelling of the classic ballet, children learn the tale of a prince, a beautiful swan princess, and an evil sorcerer by reading a straightforward narrative that describes each scene. Then push the button on each page to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing the corresponding music from Tchaikovsky’s score. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will hear ten excerpts from the opera’s music. 

At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of Swan Lake. On the same page, buttons allow you to replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms, and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.

This series of books provides an engaging introduction to classical music.

See also: 

Listen As You Read: The Magic Flute

Listen As You Read: The Nutcracker